Professor John Rasko Archives

Order of Australia AC Professor Ian Frazer — Professor Ian Frazer. Source: The Australian

The Australian Cancer Research Foundation would like to congratulate the following four Australians on their appointment to the Order of Australia yesterday via the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. We are so proud and humbled to have the support of these incredible Australians in various aspects of our work:

Professor Ian Frazer, awarded Companion (AC) in the general division: Professor Frazer has been recognised for eminent service to medical research, particularly through leadership roles in the discovery of the human papilloma virus vaccine and its role in preventing cervical cancer. His services to higher education and charitable organisations (Professor Frazer is currently Chairman of the ACRF Medical Research Advisory Committee) have also been acknowledged with this award. Continue reading “Queen’s Birthday Honours List acknowledges four incredible Australians for their services to cancer research”

Sydney researchers this week revealed a stem cell research breakthrough that will have a massive impact for cancer sufferers requiring bone marrow transplants.

Publishing the results in the esteemed biotechnology journal Nature Biotechnology, lead author Professor John Rasko and his team from Centenary Institute have found, for the first time, a way of growing an increasing number of blood-forming stem cells outside the body.

Patients who receive stem cell transplants for various conditions or treatments, including leukaemia or chemotherapy, could soon expect significantly improved outcomes thanks to the landmark finding by the research team at the Centenary Institute, Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital and the University of Sydney.

Stem cell transplants are vital for treating cancer patients who have had their bone marrow destroyed by chemotherapy. Continue reading “Stem cell breakthrough – great news for cancer patients”